


Purring

by MaryPSue



Series: Return, Rewind, Rewrite [6]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Transcendence, Gen, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-28 14:05:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5093501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaryPSue/pseuds/MaryPSue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An old scourge returns to make Dipper's life difficult.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Purring

**Author's Note:**

> Crossposting old fic from the Transcendence AU blog on tumblr. This was a request.

“Absolutely not. Do you know how long it took for this place to shake its reputation as a disreputable tourist trap? Do you really want to bring that back?”

Alice crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe. “Right. Because so many people think the Smithsonian is a disreputable tourist trap.”

“The Smithsonian isn’t an academic library! It’s a public museum -”

“I don’t see how that makes any real, noticeable difference.” Mike let out an angry huff, and Alice cut him off before he could launch into another tirade about the reputation of the Library. “I’m not suggesting we fleece the academics with cheap crap. It wouldn’t work anyway, they’re smarter than tourists, mostly. I’m thinking hardbound coffee-table books about the history of the Library, Gravity Falls, the Transcendence…we could sell your demonology book,” she offered, and then snapped her fingers. “Hey, yeah, that’s a great idea! Partner with local artisans to offer unique, handcrafted gifts. They’ll eat it up. Your ex-girlfriend’s still making those ugly charm necklaces, right?”

“Alice,” Mike sighed, bringing one hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “We are not opening a gift shop in the Library.”

Alice shrugged. “Fine. Suit yourself. But the roof’s still gonna need reshingling, and that updated protective vault you wanted for the fragile texts? Yeah, that’s not gonna pay for itself -“

The sound of the phone cut her off, and Alice raised one finger in Mike’s face, ignoring the look of disbelieving rage he levelled at her. “This isn’t over,” she said, before grabbing the phone out of its cradle, putting on her best talking-to-customers voice. “Stanley Pines Memorial Library of the Supernatural, Alice Pines speaking, how may I help you?”

“Alice? Oh, thank goodness. Something’s wrong with Dipper.”

Alice felt her heart kick against her ribs at the tightly controlled panic in the voice on the other end of the line. “Mr. Sterling? What’s the matter?”

Mike raised an eyebrow, and Alice held a finger to her lips. In the background, she could hear Belle laughing, so whatever it was couldn’t be all that bad. But there was also a strange rumbling, that might have been interference on the line or might just have been a large truck passing by outside, except that it just kept going.

“I don’t…exactly…know.” Mr. Sterling’s voice on the other end of the line was calm and even, but clearly strained with the effort of remaining so. “He was gone longer than usual at a summons and when he came back, his eyes had gone all gold and…he’s in my lap. And he won’t move.”

Alice glanced over at Mike, who shrugged expansively and gestured towards his ear. She held up a finger and turned her gaze away, trying to keep the sudden prickles of fear out of her voice as she asked, “Won’t, or can’t?”

There was a sudden silence from the other end of the line, save for the strange deep rumbling, and then Mr. Sterling said, “Won’t. I think. Every time I try to shift him off or move out from under him he growls or digs his claws into my leg.”

“Okay, well, then, he’s probably not hurt,” Alice sighed, hoping her relief wasn’t too obvious. “Have you tried asking -”

“He’s not speaking.” Mr. Sterling paused. “At least, not in any human language. There’s rather a lot of growling and purring and occasionally static, though.”

“…wait, I must have misheard you,  _purring_?”

Alice could easily imagine the pained look that had probably crossed Mr. Sterling’s face. “Yes,  _purring_. It’s quite loud, and every time I try to move it cuts off. I’m…not certain how he’s making it, to be honest.”

” _Alice,”_  Mike hissed. “Did he just say -“

"Yeah. Purring. Shhhh.” Alice pulled her hand down from the mouthpiece of the phone. “So about how long has this been going on for?” she asked, stalling as she wracked her brains for any idea of what might be going on. Had Grunkle Dipper ever acted like this around  _her_? She couldn’t remember, she’d been so little when he’d disappeared…

“I don’t know, about - about fifteen minutes?”

“Ask him if he’s noticed a strange smell on Dipper at all,” Mike said, poking Alice in the shoulder. She levelled a glare in his direction, but…well, he  _was_  the demonology expert, after all.

“Mr. Sterling? Mike says to ask if Dipper smells weird.” She thought about it for half a second, and added, “Weirder than usual, anyway.”

A brief pause, and then Mr. Sterling said, “Smell? Not that I’ve noticed - well, there’s a strong incense, but that’s normal for when he gets back from summoni _aaaAAAA!_ “

“What? What’s going on?!” Panic wormed its way into Alice’s voice at the sound of the scream. She tried to stuff it down, reassuring herself that Grunkle Dipper would never hurt his family, but she’d only really known him for so short a time, and after all, he  _was_  a demon – “Mr. Sterling, talk to me, what’s happening?”

“Claws - my stomach -” There was a gasp from the other end of the line that sent a stab of terrified adrenaline through Alice. And then, disrupting her sudden, unwanted vision of Dipper’s clawed hands tearing through the soft flesh of Mr. Sterling’s abdomen and pulling out handfuls of intestines, she heard – laughter? “Ack, no, th-that tickles, Dipper!”

“Mr. Sterling? Is everything all right?” Alice asked, as the rumbling purr in the background grew louder. 

From somewhere else on the other end of the line, she heard Belle’s voice, faint and choked with laughter. “Dipper’s kneading Dad’s stomach like a cat and it’s  _adorable_!”

Alice blinked. “Like a…cat?”

Behind her, Mike snorted in laughter. Alice turned to glare at him, and he mouthed, “Give me the phone,” gesturing towards the handset. Reluctantly, Alice handed it over, and Mike shot her a grateful smile, stepping forward to lean an elbow on the desk. “Mr. Sterling? This is Michael Pines. I know what’s the matter with Dipper.”

…

“And it’s harmless to him?” Lionel asked, for the third time, and the voice on the other end of the phone let out a long-suffering sigh.

“Yes,” Mike said, patience audible in his voice. “Like I said, the yggdrasil herb will take a little while to clear his system, depending on how big a dose he got -”

“Michael, I’m a librarian, I’m familiar with the properties of yggdrasil herb,” Lionel interrupted, feeling a flush climb up his neck. “I only didn’t recognise its effects because it usually inspires aggression in lower-order supernatural beings,” he added, lamely, knowing that he was trying to convince himself as much as the man on the other end of the line.

“Please. Call me Mike.” Lionel could hear the smile in Michael -  _Mike’s_  voice through the phone line. “You guys are practically family, you’ve earned that right.”

“Well then _,_ Mike, thank you so much for your help and your reassurance.” Lionel took a deep breath, looking down at his son the demon lying sprawled out in his lap, and managed a smile of his own. “And there really is no way to get up once he’s decided he wants to lie in your lap?”

"Well, family lore says Gam-Gam’s husband used to get him to cling around his neck and carried him around like a backpack. You could always try that.”

“Thank you,” Lionel sighed, hanging up the phone. He glanced down again, to see Dipper looking up at him with golden eyes blown wide, tongue hanging slightly from his mouth as though he’d forgotten it was there. 

Lionel sighed, and reached up to ruffle Dipper’s hair. The rumbling purr that was currently vibrating the couch grew louder, and Dipper arched his head into the touch with a contented smile.

There was a flash and the clack of a shutter as Belle took another picture.


End file.
